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(Sports Network) - A pair of struggling hurlers will take the mound tonight, as Roy Oswalt and the Houston Astros continue their three-game series against Kyle Kendrick and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

Oswalt is off to the first 0-3 start of his eight-year career. A two-time 20- game winner, the right-hander has allowed 17 runs (16 earned) and 30 hits in 16 innings for a 9.00 earned run average, while losing tests in San Diego and Chicago, and most recently a home game against Florida.

Friday's test against the Marlins was Oswalt's worst outing of the season, as the 30-year-old gave up eight runs and nine hits -- four of those home runs -- in four innings of work.

Oswalt will try to rebound against a Philadelphia club that he has a lifetime 5-1 mark against in eight games, six of those starts. However, in two starts against the Phillies last year, he went 1-0 despite a 7.50 ERA and allowing 10 runs in 12 innings.

Kendrick enters tonight's start for the Phils dealing with some control issues. The sophomore right-hander walked a career-high six batters last Wednesday against the Mets and also allowed four hits in 2 1/3 innings. His inability to find the plate and a bad defensive outing by the Phillies led to Kendrick getting charged with seven runs, though just one was earned.

Kendrick, who won his season debut in Cincinnati on April 4, will face the Astros for the first time in his career tonight. The 23-year-old will also make his first home start of the season after going 7-1 with a 3.76 ERA in 11 starts at Citizens Bank Park last year.

Philadelphia and Houston opened their series Tuesday night, with the Phillies posting a dramatic comeback. Trailing by three runs heading into the bottom of the ninth inning, the Phils plated four in the frame for a 4-3 victory.

Pinch hitter Chris Snelling, recently recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley when Shane Victorino landed on the disabled list due to calf injury, led off the frame with a home run off of Houston closer Jose Valverde (2-1), and Pat Burrell later evened the game with a two-run long ball of his own.

A passed ball on a strikeout by Geoff Jenkins then allowed the outfielder to reach first base and Pedro Feliz followed with a double down the third-base line that scored Jenkins, who just beat the throw home to improve Philadelphia to 3-1 on its current nine-game homestand.

Burrell leads the Phillies with five homers and 15 RBI but has had little luck in his career against Oswalt, having gone 0-for-9 with three strikeouts against him.

Jimmy Rollins, who pinch-hit in last night's win but hasn't started since last Tuesday due to a sprained left ankle, is a career .292 hitter (7-for-24) versus Oswalt.

Astros starter Shawn Chacon was brilliant in eight innings of shutout ball, allowing only four hits and two walks while striking out five in a no-decision for Houston, which had a two-game winning streak snapped. Lance Berkman was 2- for-4 at the plate with two runs scored, and Carlos Lee added two hits and a run scored.

Berkman has hit safely in his last seven games, upping his average to a team- high .327. He has two-hit games in four of his last five tests and is a .294 lifetime hitter versus the Phils.

These two clubs split six matchups last year, but Houston has won six of its last 10 in Philadelphia.